Carnage

With a Chuckle, Daily News Calls for Life-Saving Traffic Tech

We appreciate that the Daily News on Tuesday editorialized in favor of traffic-calming, life-saving traffic cameras. But we don't understand the paper's attempt at levity in its recounting of the city's latest fatality data. Here's a sample:

By Brad Aaron

12:44 PM EST on February 4, 2010

We appreciate that the Daily News on Tuesday editorialized in favor of traffic-calming, life-saving traffic cameras. But we don’t understand the paper’s attempt at levity in its recounting of the city’s latest fatality data. Here’s a sample:

Bicyclists showed the biggest improvement in staying alive. They were killed in traffic 80% less last year than the year before.
Pedestrians’ scores did not improve against the grim reaper, but the
155 who were killed were only four more than the year before.

Would the News crack jokes about murder rates? How about fire deaths? Rapes? Of course not.

Beyond the poor taste on display here, there is no meaningful analysis to back up the call for automated enforcement. For example, there’s the obligatory anecdotal swipe about cyclists disobeying traffic laws,
but nothing about the thousands of motorist infractions that go
unpunished every day throughout the city.

There is no mention that red light cameras are already saving lives and reducing injuries right here in New York, that speed cameras in other areas are hugely effective, or that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has studied automated enforcement and found that it works. And if News editors really wanted to dig in, they could harangue NYPD for withholding vital information on why deadly crashes happen.

Wondering why local media aren’t demanding answers from Ray Kelly about the death of Karen Schmeer? Consider this half-hearted drivel Exhibit A.

Brad Aaron

Brad Aaron began writing for Streetsblog in 2007, after years as a reporter, editor, and publisher in the alternative weekly business. Brad adopted New York's dysfunctional traffic justice system as his primary beat for Streetsblog. He lives in Manhattan.